Keyboard for musical instruments.



'No. 875,815 PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

J. c. HOFBAUERi KEYBOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. urn-mum: Hum mu 1. 1901;

3 BliEETB-BIEET 2.

PATENTED JAN. 7, 190a.

. J. c. HO'FBAIUBR. 4 KEYBOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Arrmomxog FILED Jun '1, 1901.

' a sums-51mm a.

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arafiem; "U A 0 2 UNITED STATES JOSEPH c. HOFBAUER, or wnsr HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

, KEYBOARD FOR MUSICAL msrnmn'rs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,19( )8.

I Application filed June 7 1907- Serial No..377,8 4=6- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH GHOFBAUER, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Keyboardsfor Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is, to provide keyed musical instruments, which produce both melody and harmony, having keyboards In two sections; one section for playmg the treblepart of music, the other sectioh bemga new arrangement of keys for playing in an easy and uniform manner, the basses and harmonic accompaniments, as generally used in opular musical com ositions'.v

. The d p rawin swhich form parts of this speclfication, s ow in Figure 1, a plan view of a keyboard for par- .lor organs, ianos or similar instruments,-

consisting 0 two sections L and M, the latter being shown in part only. Fig. -2 is a full view of an instrument fitted with ke boards L and M of Fig. 1. Fig. 3- shows t e keys G G E, which produce the chord of C major,

also the bass 0 and the position of fingers in playing the four notes. Fi 4 represents two positions of a chord o the dominant seventh. Fig. 5 shows two ositions of a minor chord; Fig. 6 a diminished seventh. 1

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an accordion fitted .with keyboard section M for themelody part, and section L? for bass and harmonic 35 relations. Fi 8 shows the notes controlled by the keys 0% section L of Figs. 1, 7, 9, be-

ig. 9 is amodificatlon representing'an accordion, with the keyboard L on the, bottom. Fig. 10 is a plan view of an accordion, having keyboards similar to Fig. 7; showing another application of the same principle.

. Keyboard M of Figs. 1 and 2 consists of two to four octaves of ke s, similar to the usual piano keyboard an is intended for the melody or treble part of music; the same is the case with ke board M in Fig. 7, but with the exception, t lat keys E and B are out of with four fingers as used in 'd ions.

their usual place; thereby the distance between a note and its octave is shortened, and the keyboard can be more easily governed laying accor- The left hand section 18 is an arrangement of keys in three rows; the first row being on the same level with the 1 white keys of section M, the second and third nning with the keys on the right hand.

Figs. 1 and 2 row being successively and adually raised above and behind row I an row II respec-' tivelyf .Ke'yboard L shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7,

control notes for harmonic accompaniments,

also following successivelv in fifths.

In Figs. 1, 7, and 9 each key of the second row of keyboard L produces the major third (or its octave as indicated by race notes .in Fig 8), and each key of the t ird row produces the fifth 'of the corresponding bass note below; forexample, the keys in rows II and III corresponding to bass A produce the notes C13. and E. In Fig. 10 this order of rows is chan ed, the second row controls the fifths, and t e third row controls the thirds row in the second place, therefore the keys correspondin to bassA produce the notes E and CFF Whic are the fifth and major third in'the second and third place respectively. The basses on, these keyboards are to be played with the thumb as a rule, but may be struck with other fingers also, to obtain passa es.

he harmonic chords used for accompaniments in popular music, are produced with the fingers in the positions shown in Figs. 2,

3, 4, 5, and the same positions serve 'for chords in all keys in a uniformmanner;

Instruments of the character of piano or organ, fitted with keyboardsL and M (Figs. 1, 2) may be equipped with reeds, strings, or both combined, or with any kind of sound producing agents, which can be controlled b means of keys. Such instruments ma a so be made folding and portable.

The advantages of this keyboard are: 1st, accompaniments in all major or minor keys are produced in a uniform and simplified manner. 2nd, the difiiculties of playing in all keys are diminished. 3rd, low asses and high pitched accompaniments, as desirable in popular music, are produced. 4th, the basses are easily alternated in fifths. 5th, a sustained bass effect. 6th, it 'can, be .played without much knowledge of musical notation or harmony. The bass key board L in Fig. 7 is constructed on the same principle as that shown in Fig. 1, the basses are situated on the bottom of the accordion near thefront edge, and are to be played with the thumb; the two upper rows controlling ,the notes for accompaniments are placed on the lower front of the instrument near the bottom edge. The .manner of playinggaccompaniments is the same on this keyboard as illustrated in reference to Fi 1. a

The arrangement of keys s own in section L Fig. 10 requires positions a trifle different from those described in reference to Fig. 1, but the effects obtainable and manner 0 playing are the same.

In accordions many new advantages are obtained by these keyboards: 1st an easy chromatic scale, 2d playing from piano notation with more facility, 3d a sustained bass effect, 4th more correct accompaniments and even bass solos may be produced, 5th many new ways to play the bass clef, which were impossible heretofore.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In musical instruments, controlled by means ofkeyboards, the combination of two separate keyboards and soundin controlled by the keyboards; one Ireyboard bein similar to the usual piano keyboard and avi thesecon keyboard having keys in three rows parallel to one another and t0 the first keyboard, the rows being offset laterally with relation to one another, so that their keys may be struck simultaneously in successive parallel series, by the fingers of the left hand;

, the keys in the lowest row, controlling basses,

ra i in bass-clef from C below the staff to 0 within the staff the keys in the two upper rows, controlling harmonic accompaniments, ranging in pitch oneor two octaves higher than said basses, the sounding devices condevices a compass of two to four octaves trolled by the keys of each row being tuned successively in fifths from one end of the row to the other; the first keys of the two upper rows controlling the major third and fifth of the note controlled by the first key of the lowest row.

2. In musical instruments a keyboard controlling basses and accompaniments, and consisting of three rows of keys; corresponding sounding devices tuned successivel in fifths, the devices controlled by the first eys of the second and third rows being tuned to give the major third and fifth of that controlled by the first key of the first row.

3. An accordion having a melody keyboard, similar to the usua piano keyboard, the keys controlling the notes E and B in each octave being placed slightly out of the rank and nearer to the top edge of the keyboard,

the second keyboard controlling basses and JOSEPH C. HOFBAUER.

Witnesses:

OSCAR BOLL, CHARLES F. SPEER. 

